2026-05-27-Blue-Wave

Blue Wave

THE PRIMARY IS OVER. ALL EYES ON THE MIDTERMS

The 2026 Pennsylvania Primary is officially in the history books. Election results can be viewed here: https://www.cumberlandcountypa.gov/3135/Election-Results

We want to thank everyone who made this election possible — voters, poll greeters, poll workers, campaign staff, volunteers, and especially the outstanding candidates who stepped up to serve our community and defend Democratic values.

Primaries are often passionate, competitive, and sometimes contentious. But what unites us is far bigger than any single race. Now is the time to come together, rally behind our candidates, and work harder than ever to defeat Republicans who continue chipping away at the rights, freedoms, and democratic principles we value.

A complete list of our Democratic candidates for the November election can be found HERE.

During the primary, Cumberland County voters also elected representatives to the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee and selected Precinct Committee Members. Congratulations to Jacqueline Smith-Bennett, Tom Fink, John Flood, and Sandy Wolfe on their election to State Committee.

You can find your elected Precinct Committee Members HERE.

Each of Cumberland County's 118 voting precincts may elect up to two Democratic Precinct Committee Members. If your precinct currently has only one member — or none at all — you may be eligible for appointment following the county reorganization meeting on Saturday, June 7.

Want to help Democrats win locally and statewide? Consider serving as a Precinct Committee Member. It's one of the most important ways to strengthen Democratic organizing at the grassroots level.

If you're interested, send us a message — we'd love to hear from you.

NOTE FROM THE CHAIR

Democrats are problem-solvers who can and will deliver real progress for working people. We always have.

The Democrats who will be on the ballot in November have already reached tens of thousands of voters. Even our uncontested primary was earned through on-the-ground work that hasn't stopped for years. That's because Democrats believe in looking people in the eye and learning their stories.

Cumberland County Democrats will make this year's choice very clear. Voters can choose Democrats, who brought us the 40-hour week, Social Security, uncontaminated food, consumer protection, Medicare, clean water, and much more. Or voters can choose Republicans, who only care about giving more of our money to their billionaire buddies.

We also thank those who ran and did not prevail in this Primary. We admire your willingness to run. We respect the ideas you raised. We need your continued leadership and energy to generate another blue wave in November.

Surf's up!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Between now and the November election, we will spotlight our Democratic candidates and their views on topics that are important to voters. We thank Nathan Wood, candidate for the 34th PA Senate District, for being our first in the spotlight. DEMOCRATS CAN WIN IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY!

STOP FAST-TRACKING DATA CENTERS

Your running dishwasher registers around 65–70 decibels. Now imagine that dishwasher is nearly the size of a football field. It uses the power of 12,000 homes and consumes up to 500,000 gallons of water a day. Wildlife won't approach within a mile of it. Now imagine that machine running next to your neighborhood 24/7 — and it doesn't even clean your dishes. Congratulations: you've just imagined a mid-sized data center.

South Central Pennsylvania is now a target for new data center construction. Senator Greg Rothman has proposed a bill (SB939) to fast-track their construction and prevent local municipalities from zoning against them. Why? Household electricity bills are projected to rise by 8–25% nationally, with some regions seeing increases as high as 70%. Greenhouse gas emissions from power generation are also expected to rise sharply. And despite their enormous footprint, even the largest data centers create only 50–200 permanent jobs. What exactly are we getting in return for such high personal and community costs?

So far, seemingly not much. MIT research found that 95% of AI projects fail to deliver measurable financial returns. And while AI hasn't yet caused widespread job losses, that may simply mean it hasn't yet delivered the productivity gains companies were promised. Still, there are warning signs: many developers already report that AI is reducing the need for junior-level coders, cutting off the entry-level positions that eventually produce experienced professionals. If companies continue replacing training opportunities with AI tools, we may eventually face a shortage of skilled workers altogether.

Pennsylvanians are already skeptical. Quinnipiac polling found that 68% of Pennsylvanians — including a majority of Republicans — oppose new data centers in their region. Given their massive costs and uncertain benefits, we should be pumping the brakes on their expansion, not accelerating it. Senator Rothman is not just failing to resist their proliferation — he's championing it.

I urge you to call Senator Rothman and ask him to stand up to the unchecked spread of data centers in our communities. And in November, I ask for your vote. As your senator, I will do what Senator Rothman has not: fight to restrict unchecked data center growth until real safeguards are in place, while protecting our environment, our pocketbooks, and our peace.

CALLS TO ACTION

CommUNITY

Join us for a Unity Celebration on May 31st at 5:00 PM to rally behind our full Democratic ticket. From Governor, to Congress to Legislative races, this is our chance to come together, build momentum, and show what a united party looks like heading into November.

Meet your candidates, connect with fellow supporters, grab a bite, and get fired up for the fight ahead. Every level of the ballot matters — and every one of us matters too.

RSVP HERE

ALL Cumberland County Democrats are Invited to CCDC's Full County Reorganization Meeting

Every four years, the newly elected Precinct Committee Persons (PCPs) vote to elect Cumberland County Democratic Committee leadership. During the reorganization meeting, newly elected PCPs also choose their Area Leaders and vote for the officers who will serve the next four-year term.

RSVP HERE

VOLUNTEER WITH CCDC ON JUNE 18

Jubilee Day in Mechanicsburg is the longest-running and largest one-day street fair on the East Coast. It is a cherished tradition — and the Cumberland County Dems have been participating since the 1970s.

Join CCDC as a Volunteer for the 96th Annual Mechanicsburg Jubilee Day. We're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make our outreach a success!

VOLUNTEER HERE

CELEBRATE THE SLATE

Please join us on June 24 to celebrate our slate of Democratic candidates that will be on the ballot in the General Election. We will gather at Duke's Riverside Bar and Grill from 6:30 - 8:30. Click the button for details and registration.

CELEBRATE THE SLATE DETAILS

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We are the Democratic Party of Cumberland County.

We are working year-round to elect Democrats to positions of power at every level of government.

Your contributions help us organize, train and mobilize the 64,000 Democrats in Cumberland County from Shippensburg to Camp Hill and everywhere in between.

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